Dec. 3, 1946 – Nov. 26, 2015

Nancy C. Calabrese of Williamsville, retired director of special education for the Amherst Central School District, died Thursday in Hospice Buffalo, Cheektowaga, after a long battle with ovarian cancer.

She was 68.

The former Nancy Milkie was born and raised in North Buffalo, and graduated from Bennett High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University at Buffalo and master’s degree in special education at SUNY Buffalo State. Mrs. Calabrese was a teacher at West Seneca Developmental Center. She went on to hold supervisory roles at Erie I Board of Cooperative Educational Services, Cantalician Center for Learning and Aspire of Western New York. She also taught many college-level special-education classes locally and was a supervisor for student teachers.

In the mid-1980s, Mrs. Calabrese joined Amherst Central, from where she retired in 2001. After her retirement, Mrs. Calabrese continued to serve as chair of the district’s preschool committee on special education until the fall of 2014.

Survivors include her husband of 47 years, Joseph L. “Chuck” Calabrese; two daughters, Dr. Rebecca and Apryl Chamoun; a son, Dr. Michael F.; two sisters, Betsy Bristow and Mary Milkie; a brother, Peter Milkie; and four grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 1 a.m. Tuesday in Unitarian Universalist Church, 695 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo.

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